An all-around solid tight end prospect who is one of the more complete players at his position in this year’s draft, Anthony McCoy enters the next level attempting to follow in the footsteps of former USC tight ends Fred Davis and Dominique Byrd, who both made it to the NFL.

McCoy has good size for a tight end with a tall, long frame and he is a large target in the passing game. An excellent athlete, Anthony was a reliable receiver at USC and he showed that he’s capable of stretching the seam down the field in the passing game.

McCoy had the highest yards-per-catch average among all tight ends in college football his senior year and he ranked sixth in the nation among wide receivers and tight ends (20.8 yards-per-catch).

What I like about Anthony’s game is that, for how big he is, he surprisingly runs very well after the catch, which is part of the reason why his yards-per-catch average was so high. He adjusts well to the ball when it is in the air and he’s a tough player to bring down when he has the ball in the open field; he also has experience playing in the slot, which will help his versatility at the next level.

McCoy was a two-year starter for the Trojans, having taken over for Fred Davis when he left for the next level. Over the course of his career at USC, Antony caught 46 passes for 731 yards and three touchdowns. As a blocker, he offers the size, bulk, and strength to be a consistent in-line blocker in the NFL.

McCoy is the type of player who does everything well, but not great.
He’s a solid blocker, is a nice receiver in the passing game, but he doesn’t do either of them as well as some of the other prospects in this year’s draft; however when you add both together, his overall game is a lot more complete than most of the other prospects in this year’s draft. Because he played at USC, where they have so many playmakers on offense, his production wasn’t exactly outstanding.

As a receiver, he lacks a burst down the field needed to break away from the defensive backs to create separation; working on his speed and quickness at the next level will help him develop into an even better receiver.

Durability could be a concern, as he suffered from ankle and hamstring injuries during his career with the Trojans. I project that McCoy will be drafted between the third-and-fifth rounds. Anthony isn’t on the same level that his former teammate Fred Davis was two years ago, however he isn’t too far away. He is not likely going to develop into an elite tight end, however I could see him becoming a reliable and serviceable starter for the team that drafts him. He’s a relatively safe pick this year, as you know exactly what you’re getting when you draft him.

Notes: Anthony was named All-Pac 10 honorable mention as both a junior and as a senior.

Fantasy Impact:
McCoy may be the most complete tight end in the draft... which may also be a nice way of saying he does everything well but nothing truly great. He’s a good blocker, has good hands, and has enough speed to separate down the field. And yet despite his athletic skills he wasn’t all that productive at USC; though he averaged a gaudy 20 yards per catch as a senior he totaled just three touchdowns for his entire Trojan career.

Make no mistake, there’s at least one NFL team looking at his skill set and thinking they can get out of him what Pete Carroll couldn’t. And if he winds up in the right situation, he could do a serviceable impersonation of the tight end he replaced at USC, current Redskin Fred Davis. But thus far in his career he’s been all show and no go, so unless you’re in a deep dynasty league and have the patience to see if the team that drafts McCoy is able to tap into that vast potential you’ll be better served spending your tight end capital elsewhere.

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